KABUL: As many as 20 Taliban terrorists were killed by the Afghan security forces in Kandahar province on March 2.
“20 Taliban were killed as a result of the Afghan National Army in Arghandab district of #Kandahar province yesterday. Additionally, some amount of their weapons and ammunition were destroyed as a result,” the Afghanistan Defense Ministry tweeted.

Besides this, Afghan commando forces on Tuesday freed 27 military members and seven civilians from Taliban prisons in Herat province.
“Commando forces freed 27 military members and seven civilians from Taliban prison in Adreskan district of Herat Prov. in an operation last night. These prisoners were extensively #tortured by the TB. 6 TB were killed and some amount of their weapons & ammunition were seized as a result,” the ministry said in a subsequent tweet.

The peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban are a “waste of time” as long as the radical movement fails to implement its commitment to reduce violence and implement a ceasefire, Haji Nazir Ahmadzai, a senior adviser to the Afghan president on the Reconciliation of Political Parties and Tribes, told Sputnik in an interview on Tuesday.
“Until the ceasefire is reached, the talks don’t work, it’s just a waste of time,” Ahmadzai said.
Commenting on why the second round of talks was delayed, the presidential aide said that Kabul‘s delegation has been in Doha, Qatar‘s capital which hosts the negotiation, “for a long time,” ready to continue the talks.